Out of the Ashes
by LadyChakotay
Summary: My response to the events of September 11th. Janeway finds herself with a difficult decision to make.


Disclaimer: Paramount owns all of it, except the Relarians, who seem to have learned the lesson that Humanity just cannot grasp. No infringement intended.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Authors Note: This story was my entry for the Strange New Worlds contest. It wasn't selected, which means I can now post it here. It was written just two weeks after the events of September 11th. It encapsulates my own hopes for Humanity, and the lessons I hope we can all learn from such a senseless tragedy. Those of you who've read my story, There's No Place That Far, will recognize some of the Q dialogue. What can I say, time is limited, hmm?  
  
Dedication: This story is dedicated to my friend, Jim, who lost his life on that horrible day. He taught me about true patriotism, and gave me three of the most romantic, breathless weeks of my entire life. Godspeed, Jim.  
  
And to my friend, Mia, who has shown me what the words courage and faith are all about. The world would be a better place if there were more people like you, Mia! You are in my thoughts, and in my heart.  
  
  
  
  
  
OUT OF THE ASHES  
  
By LadyChakotay  
  
  
  
  
  
"Report." Captain Janeway ordered as she stepped onto her bridge. If there was one thing that she disliked, it was going to Yellow Alert before her morning cup of coffee.  
  
"We're reading a large explosion on the M-class planet up ahead, Captain," said Harry Kim. "It appears to have been a large structure of some kind."  
  
Janeway turned her focus to Tuvok. "Is the planet populated?"  
  
"It is," he answered evenly. "It appears to host a pre-warp humanoid society. Population, 8 billion."  
  
"Are we within visual range?" asked Chakotay.  
  
"Yes." Anticipating the next order, Harry tapped his controls. The view screen filled with the image of a planet Earth-like in its appearance. It was beautiful in its hues of blues, browns and greens. Harry took in a sharp breath before he could stop himself. "Looks like home."  
  
Janeway gazed at the young ensign sympathetically. "That it does, Mr. Kim." She allowed herself a fleeting moment of homesickness, and then turned her attention back to business. "Any idea what caused the explosion or if any lives were lost?"  
  
Tuvok read the data on his console with efficiency only a Vulcan could possess. "The explosion occurred in a high-rise building in the center of a highly populated city, Captain. I am reading several thousand people in the vicinity, but only a few hundred life signs." He looked up from his console. "It appears there were thousands that did not survive."  
  
Janeway nodded reverently, sorrow on her face. She couldn't help but cast a sideways glance at Chakotay. The Native American man had a remarkably deep respect for life, all life. And tragedies such as this had a profound effect on him. She saw sadness darken his face, even as he stood firmly by her side.  
  
Chakotay focused his gaze on the view screen. He was about to ask for the cause of the explosion when something caught his attention. There was something rising from the surface of the planet. It was wispy, almost like a spiraling cloud, except it was a blackish-gray color. He squinted, a subconscious effort to see it better. "Ensign, magnify that image."  
  
It took only a second for Harry to comply. As the image grew larger, Chakotay realized with a sickening feeling exactly what they were seeing.  
  
"What is it?" Paris asked.  
  
"It's smoke," Janeway said grimly. "It's smoke from the explosion site."  
  
Tom's face was awash with a mixture of horror and awe. "An explosion so massive that the smoke can be seen from space? What caused it?"  
  
Before anyone could answer, they saw a bright flash on the surface. Harry's console simultaneously chirped in alarm.  
  
"What in the hell was that?" Janeway demanded.  
  
"It was another explosion, Captain. Not in the same city as the first one, but on the same continent. It was another large building. Thousands more are dead."  
  
"Cause?"  
  
"Both explosions were the result of ground bombs," said Tuvok. "It appears that this was no accident."  
  
"Are they in the middle of a civil war?" asked Paris.  
  
The Vulcan shook his head. "There is no evidence to support that speculation. There are no other signs of this type of destruction."  
  
"Captain," Kim interjected. "I'm intercepting radio transmissions from the continent. They appear to be news reports." His brown eyes showed incredible sadness as he looked up from his console. "They're saying these were acts of terrorism. They suspect a group of religious radicals from across the ocean, and they fear that more attacks are imminent. They're evacuating various buildings all over the continent."  
  
The wheels in Janeway's head were turning. How could they stand by and watch such atrocities continue? Then again, how could they interfere? This was a pre-warp civilization. As if he could read her thoughts without a mind meld, Tuvok said, "Captain, may I remind you that the Prime Directive prohibits us from involving ourselves in…"  
  
She held up a hand to stop him. "I know, Tuvok. You don't need to recite it for me."  
  
Chakotay stared at her, his pain evident on his face. "Captain, you can't be serious. Those people are being murdered by the thousands. How can we just sit here and watch it happen?"  
  
She regarded him soberly for a moment, her hand gripping his arm in an offer of comfort. "I understand how you feel, Commander. I don't like this any more than you do. But you know we can't step in here." Her voice grew soft but she met his eyes firmly. "No matter how much we want to."  
  
His anguish was palpable. Just watching the sorrow darken his normally serene eyes was enough to create a lump the size of a baseball in Janeway's throat. He said nothing. He simply returned her gaze and nodded reluctantly. The Starfleet uniform he normally wore with pride was suddenly heavy and suffocating against his skin.  
  
Harry's excited voice broke the cloying silence that had developed on the bridge. "We're picking up a distress call, Captain."  
  
Janeway raised a quizzical eyebrow. "From the planet?"  
  
"Yes. It's audio only," said Kim. "It's an automated signal being emitted continuously from some kind of message buoy orbiting the planet."  
  
"Well, that just might change everything. Let's hear it," Janeway said. The bridge was filled with the sounds of an alien voice, smooth and fluidic as it wafted through the universal translator. The voice was distinctly male, and rocked with enough emotion to break Janeway's heart. Her hands moved immediately to her hips, and she paced the command deck as she listened.  
  
This is Head Magistrate T'Khye of the Relaran Union. Our country is under attack. We require any and all assistance. We have long known that there is life on other worlds, even though we have not left our own planet. Now we ask for your aide in our darkest hour. Please, if you are within the sound of my voice, help us. Thousands are dying because we cannot dig them from the rubble fast enough. If there are beings out there more powerful than we, I implore you to be merciful. Help us."  
  
Chakotay moved closer to Janeway. "They're aware of alien existence, Captain," he said. His words were spoken calmly, but a fire of hope as bright as the warp core burned in his eyes.  
  
Janeway turned to face him. "I know where you're going with this, Chakotay. I want to help these people as much as you do, but -"  
  
"Kathryn," Chakotay interrupted. "Some species don't develop warp technology simply because they have no desire to leave their home worlds. That doesn't mean they aren't capable of it. These people have shown a willingness to embrace other forms of life. They're aware that other species exist. They're even attempting to make first contact. The fact alone that they have that message buoy floating in orbit indicates that they're trying to prepare for communication with another species. They're trying to step out of their normal environ. In that context, they qualify as a warp culture."  
  
Paris couldn't help but raise his blonde eyebrows in appreciation. That was clever reasoning on Chakotay's part. It was quite a stretch, but impressive nonetheless.  
  
"You're grasping at straws, Chakotay," Janeway said. "But sometimes a straw is enough." She bit her lower lip in thought and stared at the image of the still smoking planet on the view screen. She couldn't blame Chakotay. She wanted very much to help these people. Voyager's transporters could beam the injured and dying beings from the rubble in almost no time at all. She could twist this small, utterly questionable fact to make it suit her needs and to deem the Prime Directive non- applicable here. But if she did that, could she live with herself? Then again, could she live with herself if she didn't?  
  
She squared her shoulders and raised her chin defiantly. "The hell with it. Mr. Paris, set a course for the planet and take us into a standard orbit."  
  
Tuvok's disapproval was evident in the climbing altitude of his eyebrow. "Captain?"  
  
"I know what you're going to say, Tuvok, so save it," she said. "We can stand here all day and debate the definition a warp capable society. The Federation's finest philosophers have been debating it for decades. But right now people are dying on that planet. It may not be a textbook case of adherence to the Prime Directive, but it's a loop hole – and I'm taking it for all it's worth."  
  
"It would appear you're taking if for far more than it's worth," Tuvok replied. "Commander Chakotay's reasoning is imprecise at best. You are also 'grasping at straws', Captain."  
  
"I'll learn to live with it."  
  
"Course laid in," said Paris.  
  
Janeway nodded and calmly took her seat. "Engage."  
  
Chakotay offered her a grateful smile. It wasn't the first time they'd walked this line here in the Delta Quadrant. And somehow, he knew it wouldn't be the last. But he was relieved that they were going to help these people.  
  
Janeway leaned closer to her first officer as he activated the console between their seats and began pulling up any information he could on the planet. She tried to swallow the overwhelming urge to weep as they began to intercept images of the bombed areas. People were sobbing and screaming in the streets, and rescuers and civilians alike worked to free burned and bleeding victims from the debris. It was a horrific sight, and the captain found her hands trembling despite her outwardly calm appearance.  
  
The aliens were tall and gangly by human standards. Their arms seemed a bit too long in proportion to their bodies, and their fingers were about twice as long as a Human's. Their skin was a strangely attractive shade of lilac and their long, flowing hair was a deep violet. Even in such tragic times, they moved with an elegance that made them appear almost angelic. They were quite striking in appearance.  
  
Janeway watched in misery as a tall male pulled a fuzzy yellow object from the rubble. A child's stuffed toy, she realized. The alien's large, purple eyes flooded with tears as he clutched the toy briefly to his chest. Then Janeway's heart raced as she watched him toss aside smoldering debris in a desperate effort to find the owner of the stuffed toy. He bent down briefly, digging under a collapsed wall, and scooped something up. Then he rose with the lifeless body of a small toddler in his arms. He dropped to his knees and wailed in sorrow.  
  
"My God!" Chakotay gasped.  
  
Janeway was so absorbed in the horror that she actually started a bit when Paris spoke. He motioned to the image on the viewer. "Uh, Captain – "  
  
Paris watched his captain's face as the expression of surprise made way for a look of comprehension, and then a mixture of anger and anxiety as she took in the image before her. There, in the blackness and vacuum of space, was Q. He was - floating? - on his back, doing a passable impression of the backstroke as he pretended to be swimming through a small accumulation of colorful gases. He grinned obnoxiously and waved in their direction as a tourist would at the beach.  
  
"Not now, Q! Please, not now." Janeway shot a questioning glance toward Chakotay as she put her hands on her hips. "I wonder what the hell he wants this time!"  
  
With a flash of blinding white light, Chakotay disappeared. In his place stood Q, wearing his customary Starfleet uniform. "Well if you really want an answer to that, you should be asking me. Even in your primitive culture, it's considered rude to speak of someone in third person when they're standing right in front of you." He narrowed his eyes and gave her a scrutinizing stare. Then he reached up and took a lock of her hair in his hand. "Why, Kathy! How modern you're looking! I dare say provocative even! Tell me, dear, who finally convinced you to get rid of that dreadful bun? It wasn't the least bit fun, and frankly, it made you look like an old school mistress."  
  
Janeway's eyes darted around the bridge looking for Chakotay even as she slapped Q's hand away from her face. "I'm in no mood to play games, Q. We're on a mission of mercy. Where is Commander Chakotay and why are you here?"  
  
The super being pouted like a petulant three-year-old. "Now, now, Madame Captain. I pay you a compliment, and what do I get in return? Insults! You treat me like old chewing gum, last year's prom dress. Really, is that any way to treat a guest?"  
  
"The term guest is normally used to describe an individual who is here upon invitation," said Tuvok. "I do not recall anyone inviting you."  
  
Q rolled his eyes, pointing his thumb in Tuvok's direction. "Vulcans! Honestly, Captain, don't you ever tire of surrounding yourself with such painfully dull people?" He didn't pause long enough for her to answer as he turned his eyes on the Vulcan in question. "Tuvok, you dusty old fossil. You need to learn how to cut loose and have a good time once in a while. Mr. Paris could show you, couldn't you, helm boy?" He grinned ominously at the pilot. "Tom here used to be quite the… oh, what is that expression you humans use again? … Party Animal, isn't it?"  
  
"This isn't really the time – " Tom started to say. But before he could finish, he disappeared from the conn and reappeared next to Tuvok at the tactical station. Both men held a beverage, alcoholic no doubt, in one hand and a burning cigar in the other hand. Tuvok noted that his vision was suddenly blurred and he felt liked he'd been nipping at the Vulcan Brandy. Much to his dismay, he was wearing a bright green and silver party hat with streamers. Paris hiccupped loudly as confetti rained down on them from … well from nowhere.  
  
"This is ridiculous, Q!" Janeway snapped, wrinkling her nose at the stench of cigar smoke. "We're on an important mission. We don't have time for this! I won't tolerate – "  
  
"Uh, Captain?" interrupted Harry. "You might want to take a look at this."  
  
She moved quickly to his station. "What is it, Ensign?"  
  
"It's Commander Chakotay. I'm picking up his life sign." He tapped away at his controls. Harry's eyes were wide with amazement as he read the data on his console. "If these sensors are working correctly, he's directly ahead of us." He met Janeway's eyes. "In space."  
  
Janeway arched an eyebrow in surprise. She was about to say that wasn't possible, but with Q aboard, nothing was impossible. "On screen," she said.  
  
The viewer was immediately filled with the image of Voyager's first officer, his arms and legs flailing helplessly as he floated in empty space. He looked stable enough, his dark eyes wide as he turned his head from side to side, taking in the sights he was never meant to see from such a position.  
  
"See, Kathy?" Q mocked. "Your darling Chuckles is perfectly fine. In fact, if you ask me, he looks like he's having fun." He turned his gaze to the viewer. "Say hello to your comrades, Chuckles."  
  
Chakotay's hand moved mechanically, obviously not of his own volition. With an idiotic, puppet-like grin on his face, he waved at people he couldn't even see.  
  
"Enough!" Janeway fixed an icy stare on their tormentor. Her velvety voice was low and deadly as she spoke. "We will not perform for your amusement, Q. I demand you return my first officer to this ship immediately. People are dying while you amuse yourself."  
  
Q's face lit up with delight. "You demand? Well, you are a tough task master for such a little thing aren't you?" He patted Janeway patronizingly on the head. "But you can relax, small fry. No one is dying at the moment. Well, except maybe me. I'm just dying of boredom." He took a moment to laugh at his own joke. No one laughed with him, but Paris offered a loud hiccup in response. "No one is dying on the planet. I've suspended time. No need to worry, Kathy. I've hit the proverbial pause button. Rather gracious and compassionate of me if I do say so myself."  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she studied Q carefully. Mischievous and troublesome though he was, his visits were not without purpose. He was on Voyager for a reason, and the sooner she could find out what it was, the sooner they could get rid of him and be on their way. "Look, Q," she said evenly. "You know by now that I'm not dazzled by your posturing displays of power. Why don't you just say whatever it is you came here to say, hmm?"  
  
"Honestly, Captain, you're not a very congenial host. I'm here to help you, to keep you from making a big mistake." His chin rose indignantly. Then with a poof of light, he was wearing a medieval breastplate and helmet, and sitting on a huge white stallion. "I'm here to save you from yourself, Kathy. I'm your knight in shining armor."  
  
Janeway rolled her blue eyes. "Well forgive me if I don't swoon." Her voice carried a deadly intonation and she pinned Q to the wall with her infamous Death Glare. "I'm only going to say this once, and then I swear I will strangle you myself if you don't comply. Return my first officer, and get that horse off my bridge!"  
  
Q had the audacity to look surprised. He glanced at a still intoxicated Commander Tuvok. "Is she always this moody when Chuckles is away?"  
  
The Vulcan seemed to consider the query for a moment. Then, with a slight tilt of his head he simply replied, "Yes."  
  
Janeway pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head in frustration. Q chuckled, obviously enjoying her distress. "Oh, alright. You know I can't bear to see you unhappy. Since you're so lost without your ape of a first officer, I'll be gracious enough to return him."  
  
Chakotay suddenly appeared in his seat to Janeway's left. Unfortunately, he was only about six inches tall. His voice sounded like a mouse from Tom's cartoons when he tried to speak. He put his tiny hands firmly on his hips and glared up at Q. "What in the hell is going on here?" he squeaked.  
  
Janeway failed to hide her surprise at the sight. She felt her cheeks flush as the blood rushed to her head. She distinctly heard Paris attempt to stifle a giggle and resisted the urge to reach over and smack him in the back of the head. He was obviously intoxicated, thanks to Q, and couldn't help himself. She took a deep breath and tried to regain her command senses. Time for a little diplomacy.  
  
"All right, Q," she began calmly. "You have my attention. You obviously came here for a reason, however well hidden or absurd it may be. If you'll be kind enough to return my crew to their normal conditions, I will be more than happy to listen."  
  
"Yes," said Tuvok, slurring slightly. He held his hand in front of his face and looked at it studiously, as though he were seeing it for the first time. "This state of intoxication is most … disconcerting."  
  
"Come now, Kathy," Q chided. "Do you honestly think that just because I have somewhat of an affinity for you, you can win my favor so easily?" He shook his head at her as if he were talking to a toddler. "You people have terrible manners. If you want me to do something for you, you'll have to say please."  
  
Captain Janeway closed her eyes and tried to get a big enough gulp of air to swallow what was left of her pride. "Fine. Q, return my officers to their normal conditions … please."  
  
"There. Was that so hard?"  
  
The words were barely out of Q's mouth when the bridge disappeared. The senior officers found themselves seated in their usual places around the table in the briefing room. All except Janeway, who was seated not in her chair, but rather on Q's lap as he sat in her chair.  
  
"Very amusing, Q," she snapped as she jumped to her feet. She noted with relief that Chakotay had been fully restored and seemed to be back to his usual self, though he looked a little bothered by the sight of his captain in Q's lap. She gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she passed him and took the empty chair.  
  
"What the hell is he doing here?" snarled B'Elanna. "You're timing is lousy, Q!" She rose to her feet, looking as though she were contemplating tearing Q's omnipotent heart out through his ears. She hadn't been on the bridge to witness the unfortunate spectacle of Q's arrival, along with Seven of Nine, the Doctor, and Neelix. The four of them looked even more disoriented than the others.  
  
"At ease, Lieutenant." Janeway held up her hand to calm Torres. "Q apparently has something to discuss." She turned her attention to him, trying to ignore the fact that he was perched rather arrogantly in her chair. "We're listening."  
  
Q leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. "It's quite simple really. You narrow-sighted humans are about to make a monumental mistake. Oh, I know you make mistakes all the time. I suppose you can't help it, what with such limited brains and all. But this time, you're about to do it with abandon. I mean you mortals are about to really - "  
  
"Are you planning to actually inform us of this alleged error, or do you intend to simply sit there spouting insulting phrases?" Seven raised an arrogant eyebrow at Q as she spoke. Her conceited attitude was a formidable match for his own.  
  
Q stared at Seven, noting her cybernetic implants, and he curled his upper lip in disgust. "Oh, Kathy! What is this? Your resident Vulcan wasn't haughty and cold enough for you? You didn't get enough stoicism from your tiresome tactical officer so you went out and started drafting Borg drones?"  
  
"Ignore him, Seven." The doctor looked as offended as a hologram could possibly be. "He is obviously ill-mannered and extremely rude!"  
  
"Oh, you wound me with your criticism, Doctor. Such words are especially painful coming from a walking light bulb."  
  
Janeway leaned forward, resting her chin on her fist, a blasé expression on her face. "I thought you had something astounding to tell us. But I'm starting to believe that you just came here to annoy me and amuse yourself. Really, Q, your insults aren't the least bit exciting."  
  
"Very well, I'll spell it out for you." He walked over to where Janeway was sitting and leaned down, brining his face only centimeters from hers. "You, my dear Captain, are about to stick your mortal nose where it doesn't belong. You're about to throw your vaunted Starfleet principles out the airlock and follow your pitiful human heart, without taking time to consider the consequences."  
  
"There wasn't exactly time to call a meeting and take a vote," said the Doctor. "Those people are dying by the second."  
  
"Yes," said Q. "But that isn't the case right now, is it, toaster brain? I have graciously suspended time on the planet in question in the hopes that the all-merciful Captain Janeway and her ship of circus chimpanzees would give some thought to their actions before it's too late. This may be hard to wrap your egotistical minds around, but sometimes your help isn't so helpful after all."  
  
"He's calling us egotistical?" asked B'Elanna incredulously.  
  
Chakotay folded his arms across his chest. "Are you saying that we shouldn't help these people?"  
  
Q rolled his eyes and shook his head at Chakotay pitifully. "Okay, we'll take it slowly for the big, dumb ape." He disappeared, and in a flash reappeared at the head of the table. An old style three-piece suit and striped necktie had replaced his Starfleet uniform. The suit was peppered with chalk dust and eraser marks. Q stood before an ancient blackboard, the kind used in 21st century public schools. Chakotay now sat on a stool in the corner wearing a pointed hat that read DUNCE down the front.  
  
"Okay, class…" Q spoke in a condescending, nasal voice. He drew stick figures on the chalkboard as he narrated. "Pay close attention. This gets a bit technical." He drew some monkeys scratching themselves. "This is you. And these are the poor little aliens whose cities just went boom – "  
  
Janeway rubbed her temples in frustration. Her irritation, and her headache, just stepped up a notch. "Will you please make your point, Q?"  
  
  Without another word, the schoolteacher garb vanished, leaving Q and a slightly disoriented Commander Chakotay seated in their previous positions. Chakotay glared angrily at the super being. "Can we do this without all the theatrics?"  
  
"Oh, all right. You humanoids are just no fun," Q pouted. "I honestly don't know why I even bother with you."  
  
"Nor do we," said Tuvok.  
  
Ignoring the Vulcan, he continued. "I'll put it in the simplest, most mundane form I can manage for you."  
  
"Please do," Janeway said impatiently.  
  
"You watch your fellow mortals perish, and it calls out to the humanitarian in all of you, doesn't it? It makes you want to zoom in there with your powerful starship and save the day like the heroes you perceive yourselves to be."  
  
"It's not about heroics, Q," said Paris. "It's about common decency."  
  
"Something you clearly know nothing about," said Neelix.  
  
"On the contrary, kitchen rodent," Q said haughtily. "I am the most decent one of all. Why, I could be out gallivanting about the universe, dancing with scantily clad women from the Debarian system. Did you know those women actually have three –"  
  
"We get the picture, Q," said Janeway. "Is there a point to this discussion coming anywhere in the future?"  
  
"My point, Captain Impatience, is that I could be anywhere doing anything. But here I am, donating my time to Mortality and trying to help you. It's a pity you're all so unappreciative. This could really be a bonding moment for us." He returned to his seat, or rather, to Janeway's seat.  
  
"The bottom line is simply this: You must not aide those people. It would be a dreadful mistake, one you will live to regret. You should just fire up your little engines and be on your way."  
  
"How can you even suggest that we simply resume our course and let these people die?" asked Chakotay. "That would be the mistake that we would regret."  
  
"On the contrary, Commander," said Tuvok. "I believe Q is referring, albeit indirectly, to the very reason the Prime Directive was created."  
  
"Here we go," sighed B'Elanna, preparing herself for another ethics lecture from their resident Vulcan.  
  
Tuvok merely raised an eyebrow and then continued. "It is impossible to predict what effect our intervention could have. As unpleasant as it may seem, those deaths may serve a vital purpose in the evolution of that society in the future."  
  
"See?" Q quipped enthusiastically. "The Vulcan gets it!"  
  
It suddenly made sense to Janeway, though she didn't want to believe it. "You're saying that we need to let them deal with this tragedy on their own, that we will be changing their future if we try to help them. Leave them to their own, so to speak." She folded her hands under her chin. "I appreciate the sentiment, Q. But you're asking me to turn a blind eye to thousands of dying people. You'll understand if I need something a little more concrete than just your word?"  
  
Q puffed out an exaggerated sigh. "You humans and your constant need for proof of the obvious." He scratched his head in a remarkably human gesture. "Then I suppose I'll just have to convince you." He glanced at Chakotay's confused expression. "For this I'll need visual aides."  
  
Suddenly the briefing room dissolved around them, and Voyager's senior officers found themselves standing in the middle of an ocean of smoking debris. Lavender skinned people were running everywhere, some fighting the fire that still raged, and others helping the wounded to a makeshift triage center. All around them, as far as the eye could see, was destruction.  
  
"The site of the explosion," Janeway said softly. "You've brought us to the surface."  
  
"Well, not exactly," said Q. "I'm allowing you to see it through my eyes. You're not really here, which means they can't see or hear you. I'm allowing you to perceive that your mortal bodies are along for the ride. Wouldn't want disembodiment to frighten your tiny craniums, now would we?" He grabbed Janeway's arm as she attempted to step toward an injured alien. "That means you're an observer, Captain. Not a participant."  
  
Face to face with the unimaginable scene, Chakotay found the sights unbearable. "You've brought us to watch them suffer? What kind of game are you playing here, Q?"  
  
"No, no, no, Chuckles. You've got it all wrong. I brought you here to see what the suffering engenders, you cretin. You're in the future. Two of this planet's days into the future to be exact. Unfortunately, they'll be pulling their dead and wounded from this junk pile for many days to come."  
  
Q's attention was drawn to the figure of a tall alien man. He was dressed in elegant robes and carried an air of dignity with him as he moved across the crowded site. He was followed closely by a security detail and the paparazzi. The entire place fell silent as he stepped onto a makeshift pedestal, and every eye focused on him. He was obviously a leader of some sort. His people looked to him with expressions of hope and awe. All were quiet, ready to receive his word.  
  
"Gather round, my intellectually challenged friends." Q said, motioning for them to move in closer. "That's Magistrate T'Khye, leader of this country, which they've named the Relaran Union. He is about to address his people, and the entire world of Zath. This is what I brought you here to see. This is where it begins."  
  
The alien leader took his place on the pedestal and as he spoke he made brief eye contact with every single person within his scope of vision. He opened his speech with hails of heroism for the rescuers and words of comfort for those who were lost to the incredible tragedy. And then, he turned a very serious face toward the members of the media and addressed his next comments to the people who perpetrated the heinous act of violence.  
  
"To those people who conspired to commit the ultimate act of betrayal and cruelty, I stand here in the rubble with my people, and I say to you that we are bruised, but not broken. We will cling unto one another during this dark time. And in the process, we will become better citizens. Unified and determined. Not just here in this city, or this country, but around the globe.  
  
"You did not weaken a government today. You strengthened a country and united an entire world. You sought to destroy us at the very heart, but you have failed. Your actions brought forth great devastation. But from the ashes arose love, compassion, and acts of incredible heroics.  
  
"You didn't succeed in creating dissention among the nations of this world. Instead you reminded us that the lines that divide us are imaginary lines on a map. No matter the color of our skin, no matter our geographical location, you have reminded us that we are all one race. We are Zathans. Your blind hatred didn't spawn further hatred, lost soul. It opened the door for a future where the beings of this world stand united and tolerance abounds. We are joining hands across the globe to stand against terror and cruelty. You haven't pitted brother against brother. You have enabled friendships between strangers and former enemies. And you've shown us that we are more than what we once thought. We are stronger as a group than we could ever be in division. And we are beings filled with compassion and mercy, capable of incredible love for every life, no matter the color of our skin.  
  
"You struck out and drew the blood of innocents. But you have not pushed us toward hatred. Those who died will no longer walk the streets of Zath, but they're remembered here. And in their names, we will rise above ignorance and become what we were always capable of being – one world, one voice that cries out in joyous celebration of freedom and liberty for all Zathans. You will not prevail. No matter how many cities you bomb, you cannot change who we are. You cannot change our souls. You can only beg whatever Deity you believe in to have mercy on yours for what you've done."  
  
The Zathans responded with a resounding applause, and Janeway found herself applauding right along with them, even as a tear trickled down her cheek. "The terrorism has brought them together," she said. "Even as they work to pull the victims from the rubble, they're already speaking of unity and global harmony."  
  
"Amazing," Chakotay said softly.  
  
"Is that what you were trying to tell us, Q?" asked Harry. "That this awful tragedy will be a catalyst toward world peace for this race?"  
  
"Now you're catching on," Q said with a grin. "But, as you Humans say, 'You ain't seen nothin' yet!'"  
  
Janeway felt the disorientation wash over her again as the world around her faded. She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second to catch her breath, and when she reopened them she found herself and her crew standing in the middle of a large grassy area. It looked like any number of parks back on Earth. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people were gathered there. They'd formed a circle and were joining hands.  
  
Large, beautifully colored banners flew from poles above, and small torches burned in the hundreds, casting a peaceful glow across the faces of Janeway's crew. It was nighttime, yet the torches provided enough illumination to see all the way across the park.  
  
"Where are we now, Q?" Janeway asked, leaning in closer to him to keep her voice down. Even though she knew they couldn't hear her, there was such a reverence in the air that she couldn't bring herself to speak aloud and disrupt it.  
  
"We're now one week into their future. This is a memorial service for those who died in the bombings."  
  
"It's beautiful," said B'Elanna quietly.  
  
"Yes," said Q in a chocked voice. He patted his chest where his heart should be. "Kind of gets you right here, doesn't it?" He wiped his eyes with a ridiculously huge hankie bearing the symbol of the Federation. "I am so moved."  
  
Before Janeway could retort, the people began to sing. The sound of their song, enchanting and surreal, wafted through the air and caressed her ears. It was the most peaceful sound she'd ever heard, even though she couldn't understand the words. "What are they singing, Q?"  
  
"That's the best part. They're singing the anthem of the Relaran Union." He grinned obnoxiously like a little kid with a secret. "But they aren't Relarans. This is a different Zathan country on the other side of the globe."  
  
"Then why are they singing it?" Chakotay asked.  
  
Q looked at Chakotay with disdain. "Sorry, didn't mean to lose you there, Chuckles. I'll try not to use such big words." He ignored Chakotay's glare and continued. "They're singing this song to honor their fellow Zathans across the ocean. It's a tribute, and it's the first time another country's anthem has ever been sung in the Royal Court, I might add. A remarkable gesture really, especially when you consider that this people and the Relarans were once enemies."  
  
Before they enormity of what they were seeing could sink in, Q took them from that place and on to see others. In a matter of hours, they'd seen bits and pieces of the Zathans future that told a story of years to come. They witnessed peace treaties signed by the leaders of countries that had been warring for centuries. They watched as Magistrate T'Khye deemed the acts of terrorism not only an attack against the Relaran Union, but against all civilized people around the world. They saw him form a coalition, a league of many nations who stood beside him in the name of peace and vowed to put an end to terrorism and bloodshed. And they stood by in utter amazement as the Zathans learned tolerance and respect for one another. They put their differences aside, and joined together for a unified goal. And soon they were concentrating on ending hunger, disease, and homelessness, rather than whose way of life was most correct or righteous. The hatred receded, and in its place grew solidarity and acceptance.  
  
"Now you know," whispered Q as he returned them to their ship. "Your guilt is a small price to pay for this world to know peace. Those people are dying now for a reason, and you must not interfere. Take comfort, my mortal friends, the prize outweighs the cost, painful though it may be. Head home, Voyager, and know that you have given these people the greatest of all gifts. Your decision to do nothing, in the end meant everything.  
  
Janeway found herself sitting in her command chair on the bridge, the image of the planet still filling her view screen. She did a quick head count and was relieved to see that her crew had been returned with her. Q, however, was gone. "Report."  
  
"Time has resumed, Captain," said Harry. "We're right where we were before Q showed up."  
  
She shared a meaningful look with Chakotay, his dark eyes telling her that he was feeling the pain of those who were suffering, but that he'd found peace during Q's journey. She was relieved to see he felt the same way she did. She rose to her feet and stood in the middle of her bridge to address her officers.  
  
"We've witnessed an enormous amount of joy and pain here today, and I know it has affected each of you deeply, as it has affected me. But I think it's important that we don't miss the bigger picture here. Most of us weren't even born when our home worlds were embroiled in civil war and crimes of hatred. It's important that we remember our own people who sacrificed their lives for freedom, and for world peace. When we get home – and we will get home – may we all remember to pay our respect to our own generations of heroes. To that end, Mr. Paris, set a course for the Alpha Quadrant."  
  
  
  
  
  
Did you get it, dear reader? Did the message of this tale reach your infinitesimal mind? I know it's difficult, what with your limited intellectual capacity and all. It's really not your fault, I suppose. You are merely a product of your mortal genes, a compilation of amino acids and enzymes that happened to congeal into a life form and evolve into what you are today. You're only a 21st century human. You're too small and insignificant to truly understand, or to make a difference.  
  
Or are you?  
  
Let's examine that question for a moment, shall we? Turn off your televisions, put down your video game controllers, and just listen to me. These are things you need to hear, not just for your own mortal soul, but for all of Humanity.  
  
You've seen such ugliness on your own little planet, haven't you? Terrorism of such horrific proportions that you wondered if your short little lives would ever be the same. Well I can answer that one for you. The answer is simple really. NO. No, your lives will never be what they once were.  
  
Now, don't go running to hide under your beds. It's not nearly as dramatic as all that, I assure you. What I'm about to tell you is a secret, and if you repeat it to a single soul, I'll deny everything. I swear I will. Or I'll turn you into an amoeba if it amuses me (and it just might). Here goes. Here's my secret:  
  
Humans are one of the greatest species in all the universe, or the multiverse for that matter. You're resilient, determined, and most of all capable of learning from your mistakes. You're capable of further evolution.  
  
Yes, yes, yes, I know. It sounds like I'm saying that I actually like you mortals, doesn't it? Hard to imagine really, that someone of my prowess, my intellectually gigantic mind, would profess an affinity for a species that evolved from primates. But you mere Humans have shown a capacity for kindness and compassion that far surpasses your weaknesses, many though they are. If you don't believe me, just watch your news programs.  
  
You'll see recordings of smoldering ruins that used to be skyscrapers. And if you look even closer, you'll see that there – right in the thick of it amongst the flames and smoke – are Humans. Humans from all over the globe! The tall and the small alike, shoulder to shoulder, working until their fingers bleed in the hopes of finding someone alive in the rubble. Firefighters, doctors, and volunteers … the list goes on and on. Cultural differences and opinions go right out the window, don't they? Kindness abounds, and tolerance is born anew. Why, it's almost enough to make me weep.  
  
Don't tell Jean Luc or Kathy that I said so, but the people of Earth are destined for galactic greatness. How do I know this? I am Q, you little coffee guzzler! Time and space hold no meaning for me. I've been to your future and to your past. And it is with that knowledge that I tell you this: do not lose heart, Humans. World unification and peace is what most of you want. It is a possibility, truly it is. But it will take sacrifice, dedication. Advanced civilization isn't easy. You have to want it badly. But more than wanting it, you must understand it.  
  
You see, world peace is about more than joining hands and singing about freedom. It's about tolerance. It's about learning to respect the ways of another whose very existence goes against everything you stand for. It's about finding ways to disagree without hatred, and agree without smugness. And it's about being kind to those you love, and compassionate to those you do not. There may come a time when all Humans learn to put their differences aside and unite in the name of Peace and Harmony. You must never, never give up hope.  
  
And it begins with you. Yes, you, dear reader. If Humanity is to evolve beyond war and terrorism, it must begin in the heart of one individual. So you must ask yourself, "Do I harbor hatred for my fellow man? Have I done my part? What have I done today that I can talk about with pride tomorrow?" Before you can stand up and sing about the Land of the Free, you must first be willing to embrace another whose ideals differ or even contradict your own, because that's what freedom is. You can't have it unless you understand that it must apply to all Humans, even those who scream at the top of their lungs in support of issues or ideals that you would give your life opposing. If you can accept that, change that in your heart, teach that to your children, then you have taken the first step.  
  
The actions of your fellow Humans have proven that even through unspeakable violence, some tenderness survives. That's your saving grace, my mortal friend. You're not too small to make a difference. It only takes one person to propagate hatred. And it only takes one heart to resist and offer love instead. Teach your children tolerance, and you will be making the greatest contribution any being can make to the world. Oh, I do have a way with words, don't I?  
  
Now, enough blubbering, the galaxy awaits. I have planets to misalign and starships to visit. It's been a while since I insulted Riker, that big oaf, or since I serenaded Kathy in her bath. (Don't let her fool you. She adores me.) And you have work to do. Now stop dawdling and get to it. Find ways to broaden your mind and open your heart. Oh, and read an astronomy book or something. I mean if Humanity is ever to reach the distant stars, it must begin with you.  
  
And remember, I'm always … out there…  
  
Q 


End file.
